Kentucky Water and Wastewater Workforce Survey

Lindell Ormsbee; Emily Raine Koyagi; Donna McNeil; James A. Shelley; Valerie A. Lucas

doi:10.1002/awwa.2126

Kentucky Water and Wastewater Workforce Survey

Lindell Ormsbee, Emily Raine Koyagi, Donna McNeil, James A. Shelley, Valerie A. Lucas

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Kentucky, like other states, faces growing challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified water operators. A recent survey of managers and operators from Kentucky water utilities identified weaknesses in the areas of pay, benefits, training, employee appreciation, COVID, and job satisfaction. The recommendations generated by this survey apply not only to water utilities in Kentucky but possibly to the water industry as a whole.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	56-66
Number of pages	11
Journal	Journal - American Water Works Association
Volume	115
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.2126
State	Published - Jul 1 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable input and comments. The authors would also like to thank the members of the Kentucky ORDC: Valerie Lucas, Clean Water Professionals of Kentucky & Tennessee; Jessica Wilhoite and Veronica Roland, Kentucky Operator Certification Program; Doug Kimbler, Bowling Green Municipal Utilities; Clayton Getz, Frankfort Electric Water Plant Board; Amanda Lefevre, Alicia Jacobs, and Joseph Uliasz, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet; Kay Sanborn, Kentucky–Tennessee AWWA; Kim Padgett and Maggie Mahan, Kentucky Rural Community Assistance Program; Heather Stevenson and Jason Pennell, Kentucky Rural Water Association; Robin Strader, Kentucky Wastewater Operators Certification Board; Adam Scott, Kentucky Water and Wastewater Operators Association; Donna McNeil, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute; and Mary Carol Wagner, Northern Kentucky Water District. The authors also thank the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection and the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute for their funding of this project. AWWA Resources Fostering Tomorrow's Water Workforce. VandenHeuvel K, Meeker M, Impellitteri C, et al. 2022. Journal AWWA. 114:8:76. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1984 Improving Utility Succession and Workforce Development Planning. Clark D. 2019. Journal AWWA. 111:8:12. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1338 Attract Tomorrow's Water/Wastewater Workforce Today. Jones D. 2019. Opflow. 45:5:8. https://doi.org/10.1002/opfl.1185 These resources have been supplied by Journal AWWA staff. For information on these and other AWWA resources, visit www.awwa.org. Fostering Tomorrow's Water Workforce. VandenHeuvel K, Meeker M, Impellitteri C, et al. 2022. Journal AWWA. 114:8:76. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1984 Improving Utility Succession and Workforce Development Planning. Clark D. 2019. Journal AWWA. 111:8:12. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1338 Attract Tomorrow's Water/Wastewater Workforce Today. Jones D. 2019. Opflow. 45:5:8. https://doi.org/10.1002/opfl.1185 These resources have been supplied by Journal AWWA staff. For information on these and other AWWA resources, visit www.awwa.org.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Water Works Association.

Keywords

Employee Benefits
Kentucky
Operators
Surveys
Training
Utility Management
Wastewater
Water Industry

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry (all)
Water Science and Technology

Access to Document

10.1002/awwa.2126

Cite this

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title = "Kentucky Water and Wastewater Workforce Survey",

abstract = "Kentucky, like other states, faces growing challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified water operators. A recent survey of managers and operators from Kentucky water utilities identified weaknesses in the areas of pay, benefits, training, employee appreciation, COVID, and job satisfaction. The recommendations generated by this survey apply not only to water utilities in Kentucky but possibly to the water industry as a whole.",

keywords = "Employee Benefits, Kentucky, Operators, Surveys, Training, Utility Management, Wastewater, Water Industry",

author = "Lindell Ormsbee and Koyagi, {Emily Raine} and Donna McNeil and Shelley, {James A.} and Lucas, {Valerie A.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable input and comments. The authors would also like to thank the members of the Kentucky ORDC: Valerie Lucas, Clean Water Professionals of Kentucky & Tennessee; Jessica Wilhoite and Veronica Roland, Kentucky Operator Certification Program; Doug Kimbler, Bowling Green Municipal Utilities; Clayton Getz, Frankfort Electric Water Plant Board; Amanda Lefevre, Alicia Jacobs, and Joseph Uliasz, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet; Kay Sanborn, Kentucky–Tennessee AWWA; Kim Padgett and Maggie Mahan, Kentucky Rural Community Assistance Program; Heather Stevenson and Jason Pennell, Kentucky Rural Water Association; Robin Strader, Kentucky Wastewater Operators Certification Board; Adam Scott, Kentucky Water and Wastewater Operators Association; Donna McNeil, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute; and Mary Carol Wagner, Northern Kentucky Water District. The authors also thank the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection and the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute for their funding of this project. AWWA Resources Fostering Tomorrow's Water Workforce. VandenHeuvel K, Meeker M, Impellitteri C, et al. 2022. Journal AWWA. 114:8:76. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1984 Improving Utility Succession and Workforce Development Planning. Clark D. 2019. Journal AWWA. 111:8:12. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1338 Attract Tomorrow's Water/Wastewater Workforce Today. Jones D. 2019. Opflow. 45:5:8. https://doi.org/10.1002/opfl.1185 These resources have been supplied by Journal AWWA staff. For information on these and other AWWA resources, visit www.awwa.org. Fostering Tomorrow's Water Workforce. VandenHeuvel K, Meeker M, Impellitteri C, et al. 2022. Journal AWWA. 114:8:76. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1984 Improving Utility Succession and Workforce Development Planning. Clark D. 2019. Journal AWWA. 111:8:12. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1338 Attract Tomorrow's Water/Wastewater Workforce Today. Jones D. 2019. Opflow. 45:5:8. https://doi.org/10.1002/opfl.1185 These resources have been supplied by Journal AWWA staff. For information on these and other AWWA resources, visit www.awwa.org. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 American Water Works Association.",

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N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable input and comments. The authors would also like to thank the members of the Kentucky ORDC: Valerie Lucas, Clean Water Professionals of Kentucky & Tennessee; Jessica Wilhoite and Veronica Roland, Kentucky Operator Certification Program; Doug Kimbler, Bowling Green Municipal Utilities; Clayton Getz, Frankfort Electric Water Plant Board; Amanda Lefevre, Alicia Jacobs, and Joseph Uliasz, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet; Kay Sanborn, Kentucky–Tennessee AWWA; Kim Padgett and Maggie Mahan, Kentucky Rural Community Assistance Program; Heather Stevenson and Jason Pennell, Kentucky Rural Water Association; Robin Strader, Kentucky Wastewater Operators Certification Board; Adam Scott, Kentucky Water and Wastewater Operators Association; Donna McNeil, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute; and Mary Carol Wagner, Northern Kentucky Water District. The authors also thank the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection and the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute for their funding of this project. AWWA Resources Fostering Tomorrow's Water Workforce. VandenHeuvel K, Meeker M, Impellitteri C, et al. 2022. Journal AWWA. 114:8:76. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1984 Improving Utility Succession and Workforce Development Planning. Clark D. 2019. Journal AWWA. 111:8:12. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1338 Attract Tomorrow's Water/Wastewater Workforce Today. Jones D. 2019. Opflow. 45:5:8. https://doi.org/10.1002/opfl.1185 These resources have been supplied by Journal AWWA staff. For information on these and other AWWA resources, visit www.awwa.org. Fostering Tomorrow's Water Workforce. VandenHeuvel K, Meeker M, Impellitteri C, et al. 2022. Journal AWWA. 114:8:76. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1984 Improving Utility Succession and Workforce Development Planning. Clark D. 2019. Journal AWWA. 111:8:12. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1338 Attract Tomorrow's Water/Wastewater Workforce Today. Jones D. 2019. Opflow. 45:5:8. https://doi.org/10.1002/opfl.1185 These resources have been supplied by Journal AWWA staff. For information on these and other AWWA resources, visit www.awwa.org. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 American Water Works Association.

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AB - Kentucky, like other states, faces growing challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified water operators. A recent survey of managers and operators from Kentucky water utilities identified weaknesses in the areas of pay, benefits, training, employee appreciation, COVID, and job satisfaction. The recommendations generated by this survey apply not only to water utilities in Kentucky but possibly to the water industry as a whole.

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Kentucky Water and Wastewater Workforce Survey

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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